Frank's Story of Testicular Cancer. Sometimes raw, but real. Read knowing there may be COLORFUL language and frank (and Frank) talk. He's done with treatment now (hence the HAD Cancer title—although we keep the blog address the same) and we are now in surveillance mode.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

The Power of Blue Hair & Natural Highlights

I have always said you can never have enough little old ladies or blue hairs praying for you. Those prayers spearheaded by my two grandmothers & others in the 70+ group got me through seminary. Seriously.As for hair that still has its natural, stunning, can’t find in a bottle highlights (even though some of us try…), I’m speaking of children, the 10 and under set in particular: the mantra of “shrink, shrink, shrink” that the children from our church are praying is working. It is a delight to hear of the wee ones in this group who insist upon keeping Frank in their prayers, their stubborn determination, a natural characteristic that can at times be annoying to those who work closely with them, is a boon to Frank.In other words: prayers from those with natural highlights added to the blue hair variety and all the others of you in between are clearly working. Thank you all!

While it is never easy to get chemo, Frank is doing well. He is feeling EXTRME tiredness. (He is currently in the middle of an epic nap.) Tuesday the weather was beautiful, upper 60's low 70’s. When we got home he bemoaned that he didn’t have the energy to pull out his hammock (in winter storage) so he could be outside, enjoy the day and sleep (which is what he does when he gets home from the long chemo days.) Now, before any of the local types get upset for me not calling to have them come and do this: I suggested that I get a sleeping bag out and set him up on the front porch.He slept out there for almost 3 hours.Like this: You can't tell, but it is 65 degrees outside and a beautiful day.

He did it for about an hour yesterday even though the temps were only in the 40s.

The only problem with this was that each day the UPS man decided to deliver at about the time he fell asleep. You need to also know that the dog feels obliged to announce the presence of any strange vehicle in our drive. He is so diligent that sometime he announces people who AREN’T EVEN THERE, he’s our very own Haley Joel Osmond. Needless to say a body laying on the front porch in the middle of the day in a sleeping bag kinda wigged the UPS man out, *heh* *heh* *heh*.This would be the vision that made the UPS man do a double take.

Never a dull moment.

We are finding ways to deal with static cling of the tiny hairs that have already fallen out, “Do you think “X” would work? Sure, let’s try.” (lint rollers help)

As for nausea that is being controlled by meds. The only smell that is really getting to him is the popcorn that is popped in the chemo room kitchenette throughout the day. For some this is a good smell; it’s not for Frank. A push of Ativan and some peppermint oil to hold to his nose and he’s ok.

Frank is also becoming quite a celebrity in his own right. People who work in places other than the chemo room are making trips through the room just to see him. Guess why:

Monday you saw Pharaoh:do you have a saline scepter?

Tuesday was “Tim the Enchanter” from Monty Python’s the Holy Grail: They call me, Tim.....

The funniest comment was as we left from a fellow patient in the waiting room, “My you’re looking horny today.” While the following was taken before the comment, you can see the look in his eyes, can't you?

Sponge Bob is always near by, even for TIM THE ENCHANTER!

Wednesday was Pipi in a chef’s hat:Yep, it's THAT t-shirt again. Darn squirrels.

We spent about an hour fishing the “correct” hanger through the pig-tails to get them to stand on end properly.

Today, Thursday was the Daisy Head, or Wall Flower (HA!) as he described when asked.Vinny the "wall flower"

A surprise for him however was that when we arrived, the ladies at the reception desk we ready for him:They were ready for him, even let him pose with them for a picture.

When he came around the corner to check in, the ladies in the reception area were all "minding their own beez-wax, but all had their own unique chapeau's on. They got him good.

On a related note: Is it a good thing that he has:1) this power over people?2) that he is leading them down this path?3) a wife that encourages him?

In my defense I do remind him often to use his powers for good, not evil.

just one more Wall Flower pose:Watching a move, Anchorman.

In other news, speaking of natural highlights…

Here’s a picture of the child whose hair color I’d like to have:This is the little red head that made the Sponge Bob prayer quilt.

In the past she and Frank have bonded over Dora the Explorer DVDs. You know the one; the main character is a bilingual little girl who SHOUTS EVERYTHING SHE SAYS.

Her parents offered to let me take her with me to the hair dresser, I declined. Attention parents of said red-head: I’m wise to your “free baby sitter schemes”! (Just kidding, you know we love to spend time with her.) See:This is up with her last December.

For those of you who voted for purple, which did, by the way, win the poll, I say thanks. But I also must apologize, purple wasn’t an option for my hairdresser, Brandy. The color wouldn’t have stayed. And I pay her a lot to color it, so I want it to stay. Furthermore, the additional gray that this life situation has caused had to be covered. Thank you to my sweet, younger seester for not saying anything (wink wink nudge nudge). She did however say: “I don’t have any gray yet.” Brandy did however breathe a HUGE sigh of relief when I was telling her why I was there and I assured her that I wasn’t there to get it shaved off in solidarity. Just colored.

Drum roll please:Here’s a picture of me and how it turned out:

ACK!, it hasn't been taken yet!

Sorry for the big build up. I haven't had Frank take a picture of me yet. I'll add it as soon as he wakes up and I remember to have him take the camera.....

3
comments:

Frank, what great news to know that your tumor is shrinking. It is a blessing from God. Your sharing of your situation removes much of the fear that goes with cancer. You inspire us!

"and now for something completely different"

I have noticed that as your tumor markers (going down in the charts) improve, your fashion sense needs to be graphed. (seems that it is going off the charts into the stratosphere.) I am concerned. I may need to call the FASHION POLICE. If you keep on the trend you are on, you may experience a "wardrobe malfunction". Be warned that the stakes may be higher if congress approves a half million dollar fine for such "malfunctions".

Today at work,I'm bragging about both of you, trying to inspire some of the small town types here to think out of their boxes. Were your ears burning?When I got to the part about the receptionists wearing hats at the end of the week, someone suggested that when you finish chemo you might have to donate a "hat box", for staff to pull out for cheering folks up (themselves or patients)-- isn't that a great idea? I want a hat box here too.But there is the issue of body fluids splashing--- hmm, maybe we should stick to the blue shower caps when we are birthing those babies.....Seriously, you are both so darned creative and courageous and generous in the way you are teaching us all how to handle the lemons (or nuts) that life hands us. My tiara is off to you....

Those pictures were hilarious. I'm glad you guys are trying to make the best of all of this. And I think that this is the good way to get through all of that. And you guys are really creative and couragious as Your Barnoness (spelled wrong) says.